Carbon-holder for electric lights



{N0 Mode l.)

.0 s MOSS CARBON HOLDER FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS. No. 588,233.

Patented'Aug. 17, 1897.

INVENTOR Oscar 5. 772055 ATTORNEYS.

tnmrzssizsn77 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

OSCAR S. MOSS, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

CARBON-'HOLD ER FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SP1?!GI]3ICA'.[IO1\T forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,233, datedAugust 17, 1897. Application filed November 2, 1896. Serial No. 610,814.(No model.)

V T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR S. Moss, of Syracuse, in the county'ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Carbon-Holders for Electric Lights, of which thefollowing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in electric-arc lamps, havingmore particular reference to the means for holding the upper carbon inposition.

The objection to the carbon-holders now in use is the difficultyexperienced in maintaining the trim of the lamp, for the reason that ifit is not trimmed straightthat is, if the points of the two carbons arenot maintained in alinementwhen the machine flashes or when from anyother cause the current is temporarily off the upper carbon will slip bythe lower one to such an extent that the mechanism provided for thepurpose will be unable to lift it sufficiently, and hence the lamp willbe prevented from starting again until it has been again replaced by anattendant, and to the end of obviating this difficulty my object is toproduce a carbon-holder which will automatically center the carbon whenwarped or crooked, so that it will be impossible to get out of alinementwith the lower carbon; and to that end my invention consists in theseveral new and novel features of construction and operation hereinafterdescribed and which are specifically set forth in the claims hereuntoannexed. It is constructed as follows, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the holdercomplete attached to a lamp-rod which is broken turn freely in anydirection for the purpose of bringing it in alinement with the point ofthe lower carbon. It is also provided with lateral ears bfor the purposehereinafter set forth. (1 are side pieces constructed substantially asshown, having their inner faces concaved or recessed and adapted to fitaround or about the carbon 0 and provided at its upper end with an eye(1, adapted to engage with the ears b, and near its lower end, on eitherside, are lugs e for the purpose hereinafter specified.

g is a ring having a threaded opening upon each side, as shown at 72',and Z is a thumbscrew engaging therewith and bearing against the side ofthe side pieces 02, and thereby performs the services of a clamp to holdthe side pieces in engagement with the carbon, the ring or clamp 9 beingheld in its position by the lugs e. g

It will thus be observed that when a carbon is seated in the concavity cit will first be rotated therein, particularly so in case the car bonisbent or warped, until its point at all times is in alinement with thelower carbon. Itwill also be observed that the side pieces, being loose,will follow it in any direction and conform themselves with theperiphery of the carbon, where they may be tightened by means of thethumb-screw Z.

It will be observed that the inner faces of the side pieces may becorrugated, fluted, or roughened, so as to more securely hold thecarbon.

Having described my invention, what I to grip the carbon and means forholding them in engagement with the carbon.

2. A carbon-holder comprising a base, having a concavity in its lowerface, means for securing it to the lamp-rod or light-wire, lateral ears,in combination with side pieces having eyes at their upper ends adaptedto engage with the aforesaid ears'and the inner

